Living an Active Doggie Life and Sharing Barks on My Doggie Spoils

Blog Archives

Big brother Trey is a speed eater, when there is food in a bowl you hear a vacuum turn on and I hate vacuums! To keep the Hoover in check Trey has to eat from the bowl pictured below. The bowl does work, it slows him down and reduces the risk of bloating (although he never has bloated). The only down side I could see is the amount of food that can go in the bowl. Trey gets 2 cups of food in the morning and at night, this bowl might hold 1 cup more, but not much more than that without defeating the purpose.

Pros:
Works!, it slows them down
Cheap
Non-skid rubber on bottom

Cons:
If your dog is a chewer it wouldn’t last (plastic)
May not work well for dogs that get more than 3 cups of food per feeding

Recommend:
Yes, for non-chewers. I would not recommend for poor eaters for prevention. Why not you ask? I am a poor eater, as in I don’t always finish my meals or tend to skip meals, this bowl only made eating more work so I wasn’t very motivated to eat with this bowl.

Suggestions for Manufacturers:
How about a metal one for chewers?

Side Note:
The Kyjen company had come out with some new slow feed bowls that look like so much fun! They have lots of designs and colors, you can see them on their website Kyjen.com. If we ever need to get another one they are on my list.

I hope one day I can talk Mom or Dad into getting me a few of these, I want one so bad!! Trey says I should get the shark one, I think he needs to request a custom batman one so he can know what its like to have cropped doberman ears (would be much easier to match his color) or the skunk one, it would match his smells some nights!

Mom and Dad restuffed my bed. Trey and I have 3 large doggie beds at home, they are all from Costco and when new they were pretty comfy. The problem is after about a year the stuffing goes flat and it’s just like laying on a blanket on the floor, not bad, but not as good as it was new. Instead of buying another bed Mom and Dad decided to restuff the beds. Originally they wanted to use cedar since it repels fleas but since we don’t have fleas and reading that some dogs have reactions to the smell Mom and Dad decided to use pine shavings then get a small bag of cedar to add. So down to the feed store we went and picked up a bag of pine shaving (used for horse bedding). Next we went to Petco to look for a small bag of cedar, they didn’t have any so we went to Petsmart, they had a place for bags but all out, guess we will have to keep checking back.

After we got back home they opened the bag of shavings and split half the bag between two beds and parked it right next to Mom’s half of the people bed. Well it wasn’t just a few minutes later Mom starts complaining about her eyes watering. Apparently these shavings have an odor probably caused by the sap and drying process. It was strong so the beds had to go outside and Trey and I had to share a bed (supplemented with blankets). The next day Mom poured the shaving into one of our empty used baby pools and put it out in the sun for a 2 days. After some air time the beds are back in their place and boy are they comfy!! Mom complains they are a little loud at night when we move around because of the crunching sounds which took a week to settle down. Next time we might try the paper bedding of course Mom will probably let the price decide that.

Won’t this be great when it is done? It looks like this section of trails with be 12.5 miles, however the overall plan is great! Right now, all they need added is a trail between the Cloverdale Trailhead up to the Oak Knoll Trailhead on Muletown Road or the Placer Connector Trail in that same area. If that connection is made you can go from the Clear Creek Trails all the way to Whiskeytown. Although I imagine they will have issues when it comes to crossing Clear Creek on Placer at the Veteran’s Memorial Bridge, it’s not really built for pedestrians.

If you go out hiking/walking/running in the rain or snow you really should get a slicker (its also nice for potty time too). My pink one was purchased from Petco a few years back so we don’t remember the price and we just can’t remember where Trey got his yellow Dickens brand slicker. Both are pretty much the same quality wise the only difference is that Trey’s has a pocket on back. Here are my thoughts, overall it accomplishes what it was made for, keeping me mostly dry during rainy day hikes and mostly dry during potty time on rainy days.

I feel I should explain what I meant by “mostly dry during rainy day hikes”. Perhaps it is because I am very fit with a big chest and small waist (I would be a hot human!) but this coat slips sideways on my constantly while hiking. I have to admit on hikes I am running all over, up and down hills and jumping every which way so I really test the fit of anything I wear. The chest strap on this will not stay in place, it slips back towards my waist area so Mom just straps it back by my waist while hiking. However if I am just going outside for a quick potty or a walk on the leash the coat doesn’t slip as far to the side or as often as it does when I am running like a mad women.

The design does have some strong points, it’s nice that it doesn’t hug the body so rain just rolls off the coat instead of rolling down the side and onto my belly, but that is where the good design stops. First on the down sides is the rear strap that is supposed to keep the coat down on windy days, this is the biggest downfall. First the strap on Trey’s broke after a few uses, mine lasted long but was well stretched and useless before it broke. Trey also has a complaint about the rear strap, he says it is very close to his manly bits so on some males that may be an issue if you choose to use the strap.

As far as additional useless features there is a hole on the base of the neck for a leash to go through, perhaps this would work with a short neck dog, but for my neck, it is no where near my collar and putting the leash through would cause the slicker to ride up. If you are built like me and need to wear a leash with this it just has to go through the front with your face so it might cause the neck part of your slicker to not fully protect your neck. The second useless thing is the pocket on Trey’s slicker. Putting anything in the pocket (if you had something that small) with weight would cause the slicker to shift side to side unless you have a wide back or put something like paper in there.

For wear and tear the chest strap on Trey’s appears to be detaching from the coat itself near the pocket, which means it may be dead by the end of this winter if we ever get rain. Also both Trey and I have torn a small hole in our slickers, however the size of the holes hasn’t changed and probably wont unless it snags and could easily be repaired with duct tape (you could probably even find a matching duct tape color now).

Would I recommend?
Yes… No… Maybe, it’s cheap and it mostly works, if you are just looking to cover yourself during potty breaks or walks on the leash the go for it. If you are really active like me then you might try one, see how it works for your body type. Mom may continue to buy when the previous one is beyond repair but she might consider making me a custom one combining the good features of this raincoat and some of the other types of blankets (she’ll post that if it works out).

A few more notes are that our winters here are not cold, so if you need something that also provides warmth then I would look at other options or you could wear a blanket under this. I am also not sure how well these would work on thick or short necked dogs like rotties or bullies, the neck hole fit me fine, however I have a thinner long neck, so I would strongly suggest short or thick necked dogs go to the store to try it one before buying.

I spend a lot of time out on these trails so I thought I would share some sites you can’t see from the road.

This is a waterfall found on the Piety Hill Loop. It can only be seen after we have had a really good rainfall when all the seasonal creeks are flowing, so you probably won’t be able to see it this year. To see this fall you would want to park at the Horsetown trailhead, head across the street. The entrance to trail is right at the end of the bridge next to the Horsetown Clear Creek Preserve sign. You head up the steep hill until you come to an intersection. If you go left you will head clockwise on the Piety Hill Loop, however go straight (counter-clockwise). When you head straight it will take you down a hill, when you start heading down just look straight and slightly to the left out across the gully, you should see this waterfall if it is flowing.

If you continue down the trail, you will go up another hill, then when you start heading down again you will come to that seasonal creek that makes up the falls. If the water is really flowing you may need to get wet to cross it, otherwise if it is barely flowing you can usually step on rocks to keep dry (Hey BLM how about you put in really big rocks, a culvert or bridge? Pretty Please!). Continuing on if you go straight at the next intersection you can follow the seasonal creek all the way up and see little falls along the way.

Below is a picture of Folding Travel Bowl #3. The #3 is not part of the model number but my replacement number. Hey! I know what you are thinking, “Penny stop eating your bowls” but it’s not my fault! These bowls are great because you can fold them up put them in a small pocket for easy storage. The problem is after a couple weeks of regular use they seem to leak more and more. I can see why they are not completely waterproof, after all they are made of nylon and couldn’t be chemically sealed (I don’t want to drink that stuff!). At first if you load up the bowl with water and leave it, it will slowly leak through and the outside of the bowl will get wet. This is not really a problem if you are on a hike, after all we aren’t stopping for a long time period. However after a few weeks of use the leaks get faster, the problem really seems to be with the thin “inner liner” since the water seems to quickly leak to the space between the inner and outer layers. Mom gets water out of her Camelbak and I have to drink fast otherwise I am licking the liner, I probably only get half of what is poured. The previous 2 bowls I had were picked up at Petco and I think were store brand, this new one is from HomeGoods and is the Outward Hound brand that mom got while she was traveling (check out their pet section along with TJ Maxx for killer deals!) maybe a different brand will help, but here are my thoughts based on the Petco ones.

Pros:
Folds up nicely
Inexpensive (approx $4-$5)

Cons:
Leaks after a few weeks of regular use

Recommend:
No, not unless you really need something that collapses (like me) or you wouldn’t be using it too often. Now I am going to give this Outward Hound one a try and maybe it will change my mind.

I am open to suggestions, but the replacement need to be lightweight and folding. Until then I might continue to suffer with these.

For Christmas 2012 mom found us one heck of a deal. Horseloverz.com had a deal on doggie blankets, they were just $5 so Mom figured why not, for $5 they could always be used to wipe paws. Guess what, We love these! They are nice quilted blankets that are fast and easy to put on when its cold outside. Although they are not waterproof we will slip them on if it is drizzling or there is a freak snow storm out just to keep warm. Trey loves his so much Mom doesn’t bother to un-velcro the front-chest, she just holds his blanket by the back end so the neck hole is at his level and he runs at it, sticks his head through the hole and Mom just drops the blanket on them. When he finally stops, she velcros the chest (straps that go under) and he is out the door. Now I am not that excited, but I will admit I stand in line for mine on those freezing mornings (I am such a California girl).

Pros:
Fast & easy to get on
Keeps a dobie warm during Northern California winters.

Cons:
Not waterproof, but I didn’t expect it to be.

Recommend?
Yes especially if you can find them on sale again. Right now they are $16, which is still a really good deal, but if they ever have them for $5 again (was actually $10 BOGO), we are getting more!

With these short winter days there is not always enough daylight for a good game of fetch after Mom and Dad get home from work. If you love to play ball this is your winter time answer, the MeteorLight K-9 LED Dog Ball. This thing is so much fun!!!!!!! Have your Mom or Dad turn it on and throw it, it stays lit up with its color changing LED lights making it easy to find at night. Mom and Dad say it is funny playing when it’s pitch black because all they see the ball go out, then they see it floating back to them. The amount of oohs and ahhs you get when camping is enough to keep me playing ball all night.

Pros:
Allows nighttime play
Waterproof
Durable (no sign of wear or tear with two dobies fighting over it)
Size of a tennis ball, so it works with tennis ball throwers
Battery lasts a long time
Bounces (not as good as a tennis ball)

Cons:
One time Dad went for a hard bounce on cement and battery popped out
Can be hard to turn on/off (Mom just steps on it with her heel)

Recommend
YES YES YES, if you love playing ball this is a source of evening/night entertainment.

Suggestions to Manufacturer:
Make more LED toys! Maybe a Frisbee or other fetching toys? I WANT MORE!!

I wanted to show you a collection of what mom calls the best chew toy for me, my Nylabones or as I call them, my prison shanks.

Mine!

I am very hard on my toys unlike my brother Trey, so mom likes to make sure I always have these around. Mom and Dad said, before me they never knew Nylabones actually wore down like these. Prior to my arrival in the family anytime Mom or Dad saw a used Nylabone there was nothing more than a few teeth marks, but I showed them. I have to say I really recommend these for hard chewers like me, they work great for those times when you are really bored, want to play tug-o-war or need to get a human’s attention. I find if you drop that giant Galileo on their feet it wakes them up and if you spend the time to sharpen them to a point, they make a great poking stick as dad calls them prison shanks.

They have different types of Nylabones, for me I get the “Chew” or “Dura Chew”, which are like hard plastic however they are actually made of Nylon (hence the name). They also have edibles and other types rubber ones but Mom doesn’t get those for me. Since they do wear down be sure to toss them when they get small enough to become a choking hazard, I have a feeling at least one of mine will be disappearing soon for that reason.

Pros:
Perfect for hard chewers
Available in different sizes
Available in different flavors (once again BACON!!)
Typically Lasts a Long time

Cons:
Not for everyone, Trey didn’t like these until I came along and he still only chews on them when he knows I want to.
Can become choking hazard once worn down or if you get one that is too small. I personally like the Giant and Souper sizes for my doberman mouth. Although that “Galileo” one is a bit to big.

Recommend:
YES! Well yes for us powerful chewers. My personal recommendation, BACON flavor, although the beef and liver are good too. Now if only Nylabone would come out with a horse hoof flavored ones, that is my 2nd favorite treat made by horses, my 1st favorite I always get yelled at for eating.;)

Where to find:
Nearly any pet store but Amazon has really good prices and mom always puts in an order for me if she is ordering something else. If you are not sure what size is best for you I recommend going to the pet store first to get a real idea of how big they are. To big and they wont get chewed on, too small they might be a choking hazard or chewed up too fast.

Let’s start off with showing my favorite trails here in Shasta County (California). I LOVE the Clear Creek trails, these trails are on BLM land and since they aren’t in the city limits they allow off-leash. Here is a link to the BLM page if you scroll down to “Clear Creek Greenway” you can get information including maps. If you have ever been these trails, share your barks with me!

If dirt trails are not your thing or these are too far, Shasta County has a bark-load of trails. You can find most of these trails listed here on Healthy Shasta’s Website. I will try to review more of these trails in the future.

Here are some screen shots of one of our recent hike. This particular hike was on the Piety Hill Loop, but we started at the Horsetown trailhead and did a modified loop. Doing the trail this particular way has so many hills it turns into a bum-barker, you will be feeling this hike if you are not used to hills.

Elevation and speed chart of our hike, it shows a couple times we had to stop for fellow hikers and riders.

Map of our hike

Stats on our hike

Hiking the Piety Hill Loop

Excuse the poor photo quality, the camera on the phone is having issues.